Machine for cleaning wheat.



No. 686,094. Paiented Nov; 5. |901. A. LEIKEM. MACHINE FUR CLEANING WHEAT. (Application mea Mai. 1a, 1900.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet l.

fa /d a* O 7/ 74 o. D 5 O o l6.9

70 7@ 7j' -DOU /cg |4 7,? dxf 0'" 77 o Y Q C@ l W l BQ A TTOHNEYS A. LEIKEM.

MACHINE FOB SLEANING WHEAT.

(Application med mr. 13, 1900.)

(Nu Modal.)

Patented Nov. 5, |90I.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.'

W/TNESSES Q Ml.

we cams Firms co., PHQmLlvno.. wAsHmnrou. D. c.

/N VE N TOR www No. 686,094. Patened Nov. 5, |901.

A. LEIKEM. MAGHINE FOR CLEANING WHEAT.

(Application med mr. is, 1900.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Jue Norms lanzas ou.. Havanna.. wmwar'on, n. c.

No. 686,094. Patented Nov. 5, |901. v

A. LEIKEM.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING WHEAT.

(Applicacion med Mar. 13, 1900.) (No ModeI.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

vllll n umlmnluumi f; HID-iklllllh 5g 5,

W/TNESSES /N VENTO/i mams Perris cc.. wofqprna.. wAsmucron, n. tf

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 5, |9ol. A. LEIKEM. MACHINE FOR CLEANING WHEAT.

(Application med mr. 1a, 1900.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

ATTORNEYS.

IINITED STATES PATENT @FFI-cn.

ANTON LEIKEM, OFCl-IICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FoaCLE-ANING WHEAT.

SPECEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 68 6,094, dated November 5, 1901. Application filed March 113, 1900. SerialNo. 8.464. (No model.)V

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that' I, ANTON LEIKEM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofv Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Cleaning Wheat, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a simply-constructed machine which will thoroughly separate all foreign matter from wheat and in which the screens are so made and so disposed that the kernels of wheat will not be injured during the process of separation and to provide means for subjecting the material to the in fiuence of a suction-fan not only when the material leaves the hopper, but also when the selected material Vleaves the machine.

Another purpose of the invention is to pro* vide a means for regulating the air-supply or degree of suction and likewise the inward discharge of foreign material from the machine. I

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to vbe had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved machine.- Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the machine, taken at apoint near its center. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 5 is a partial plan view of the lower set of riddles or sieves. Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of a portion of the lower riddles. Fig. 7 is a ver"- tical section through rear portion of the machine, the section extending through the fan and its casings; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of an'upper riddle back plate and one of its openings and spurs.

The body-frame A of the machine is usuf ally rectangular and upright aud is provided at its upper portion with two hoppers B, and .a trunk G is placed between the said hoppers,

the said trunk having adownward extension C located at the back of the main ,or body frame, the lower portion of the extension extending from side to side of the frame, as

shown in Fig. 2. trunk C is in communication with the interiorof the body-frame at the rearof the hoppers B, as illustrated in Figf. A suctionfan 10 is located within the trunk adjacent to its lower extension C', and this suction-fan is secured on a shaft 1l, journaled in suitable bearings at the upper portion of the bodyframe, and the shaft 11 is provided with pulleys 13 at its ends and with a driving-pulley 12, adapted lo be connected with any source of power.

The extension Cof the trunk C is in direct communicationwith a chamber Mat the rear of the hoppers and is also in direct communication with a vertical fine 15, which tine is below the bottom portion of the hoppers and extends from side to side of the body-frame and is connected with dues 15at at the lower rear portion of the body 'fraine, the inner walls of which dues 15a constitute fan-casings 16, as illustrated in Fig. 3. lines 15a extend forward and downward to a point near the bottom portion of the machine. When the lower portions of the fines 15 are opened, airis drawn up through the said flues and the flue 15 by the suction-fan 10. An opening 17 is made in the outer wall of the ue 15, and a box-casing 171 extends from said opening through the flue into a chamber This extension C of the The lower to be hereinafter described and which receives air from a tan.

A fan 19, adapted ,to supply air to the upper set of riddles, to be hereinafter described, is located in each ofthe casings 16 above referred to, and these fans are secured upon a shaft 20, or each fan may be provided with a separateshaft; but the outer ends of the continuous shaft or the outer ends of the independent shafts when employed extend through the sides of the body-frame A and are provided with pulleys 21, connected by belts 22 with the upper fan-shaft 11, and similar pulleys 22a are likewise located on the outer ends of the shafts 20, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

A chambeiI 23 is located back ofthe upper portion of the upper series of riddles referred to and above the lower fan-casings 16, the bottom of which chamber is formed bya horizontal partition 24, and the amount of air to be delivered by the fan 19 to thesaid riddles IOO may be regulated by opening or closing slides 27, which normally close openings 26 in the front portion of said chamber 23 between the bottom 24 and a cross-piece 25, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The casing 17, leading from the back opening 17, extends into the chamber 23, and the object of this opening 17 and casing 172N is to provide an escape for the current of air created by the fan 19, and thereby enable the blast to be regulated when very light grain is being handled, as the air can enterl the chamber 23 when the slides 27 are opened more or less, and the air thus admitted will pass out through the opening 17. Vtings 28 are formed at the sides of the front portion of the body-frame A, and these wings are given a forward and a downward inclination, being very much wider at the bottom than at the top, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Each hopper is provided with a regulating-slide 29 in its bottom, and the material as it passes out from the hoppers is separated to 'a greater or a less extent by placing bars or rods 30 beneath the outlets of the hoppers and projecting ngers 3l from these bars or rods beneath the outlets, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and the amount of suction that is to be brought to bear upon the upper portion of the riddles is regulated by valves 32, pivoted at the rear of the hoppers B near their outlets, as shown in Fig. 3, and these valves may be operated from the exterior of the machine through the medium of levers 33, which may travel between segments 34 and Athe outer side faces of the body-frame, asv illustrated in Fig. 1, the levers 33 being held in adjusted position by bolts and thumb-screws, or equivalent devices. The doors 27, controlling the openings in the chamber 23, may be operated from` the exterior of the machine through the medium of rods 35, as shown in Fig. 1.

A chute 36 is located in the chamber 23, and this chute extends downward in opposite directions from its center, the center of the chute being at about the transverse ce-ntral portion of the body-frame, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and this chute is adapted to receive and to carry od grass-seed, light oats, or any foreign material that may be removed by the suction-fan from the material delivered to the riddles and, as shown in Fig. 1, the outlets ot' the chute 36 are connected with exterior spouts 37, which may lead to any desired points.

In connection with the hoppers B of the machine two series of riddles D and D are employed-namely, an upper and a lower series-and these riddles are complete in themselves and extend from one side ofthe frame to the other. The upper series ot' riddles consists of side pieces 38, connected at the front by stepped bars or boards 39 and at the rear by corresponding boards, bars, or plates 40. Corresponding front and rear boards, bars, or plates 39 and 40 are connected by sieves 42 of any desired mesh. The upper rear portion 43 of the upper series of riddles D extends over the upper portion of the chute 36 and below the outlets of the hoppers and below the valves 32. The sieves 42 are given a downward and a forward inclination, and the lower sieves are of much greater length than the upper and intermediate sieves, and these longer lower sieves are designated, specifically, as a, b, and c. The forward boards or plates 39, with which these latter sieves are connected, may be longer or shorter than the corresponding boards or plates of the upper sieves. The upper part of th'e upper section D of the riddles at the back is closed or boarded up, as shown at 44a, while the covering for the lower portion of the back pref` erably consists ot` a metal sheet 44, having openings 45 therein, and these openings are so made as to provide forwardlyand inwardly extending spurs 46. (Shown in detail in Fig. The openings 45 arepreferably triangular, the apex being uppermost,and the spurs 46 are formed by carrying the metal which is cut in producing the openings rearward to the right and left, producing side flanges for the openings, as disclosed in Fig. 8. These openings or perforations in the back of the upper series of riddles serve to admit a blast of air which travels upward through the sieves 42, and said blast of air serves to kep the oats atioat and at the same time allows the wheat to `fall straight down through the sieves, while thc oats and sticks are worked oft' from the sieves by reason of their being given a lateral or shaking motion, to be hereinafter described. The spurs 46 are formed at the back ofthe Lipper series of riddles to prevent grain from falling through the openings 45, as the grain upon striking the spurs will have a `tendency to roll forward from the openings 45. The upper section D of the riddles, as has been stated, is inclined 'downward and forward; but the lower set of riddles D' incline downward and rearward, and the two series or sets of riddles are connected at their forward portions in any desired manner. These riddles are supported in the frame of the machine by means of rollers 47, which engage with the upper rear portions of the upper series D, and by rollers 49, which engage with the bottom portion of the lower series of riddles D', and a further support is provided for these riddles vby placing rollers 48 between the two series in position to engage with the bottom of the upper series of riddles, as shown in Fig. 3. Preferably the supporting-rollers 47,48, and 49 are grooved to receive tracks 50, secured to the frames or casings of the riddles. At the front portion of the upper series of riddles D, where the frame is widest, a horizontal partition or cover 51 is constructed, having partitions 52 leading from the center diagonally in opposite directions to opposite sides, asis shown in Fig. 4, and these partitions 52 connect at their outer ends with chutes 52a, as is also shown in Fig. 4. These partitions serve to direct heavy for- IOO eign material to the chutes, which material 'will not pass through the sieves 42 but slides down the frontstepped plates or bars 39, and the -amount of material thus directed to the chutes 52a may be controlled by a slide 53, which extends rearward from the partition or cover 51, as shown in Fig. 3.

The lower riddle comprises four sieves and their attachments-namely, a lower sieve df, which receives material from the upper sieve a, an intermediate sieve b, which receives material from the upper sieve l), a second intermediate sieve c', which receives material Y from the upper sieve c, and an uppermost sieve c2, which receives material that is delivered to the bottom of the upper riddle, which material is passed through the lowermost sieve c of the upper riddle. Each section of the lower riddle consists of a sieve attached to a forward board or plate 55 and to a rear board or plate 56, and a bottom board or plate 54 is provided for each sieve of the lower riddle, said plate 54 being located beneath the sieve and extending from the front support of the sieve to the rear support therefor. Upon the upper surface of the rear supporting board or plate of each sieve of the lower riddle diagonal guards 57 are employed, (shown in Figs; 3 and 5,) which extend in opposite directions from a center bar 57a, and at the sides of the delivery end of the uppermost of the lower series of sieves-namely, the sieve c2a receptacle 58 is formed, having outlet-spouts 58a. The bottom of the receptacles is formed by the bottom board of the sieve c2, and the spouts 58a conduct all material which passes through the sieve c2 out at the side of the machine, which material consists wholly of small foreign seed, such as cockles and wild mustard. All ofthe wheat that reaches the sieve c2 passes over the lower end of thesieve into a trough 59,which extends from side to side of the machine and is provided with an outlet at its bottom arranged to deliver materialinfront of the inlet of the flue 15, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus it will be observed that through the action of thesuctionfan 10 any light material that has escaped the action of the upper fans of the upper riddle will be removed as the material empties from the trough 59. The amount of air to be drawn into the flues 15 and l5a is regulated by valves 60 and 6l, as shown iuFig. 3. The conducting arrangement connected with the sieve c2 is j ust the reverse of that of the sieves below it in this respect. The material which passes through the sieve c2 is conducted to the side of the machine and that which passes over the sieve toward the center and into the trough 59, whereas in the sieves ct', b', and d the material which passes over is conducted to wells H, (see Fig. 6,) one of which is located at each side of the machine within the same. .These wells extend from just below thebottoms of the receptacles 58 (appearing substantially the same in plan view) to a point just below the lower end of the suction-iiue 15a, and may be spouted from there to any desired elevator or conveyer. The material conducted to these wells consists entirely of oats, having been separated from the wheat by passing over the sieves a', b', and c', and the wheat which has passed through the sieves is conducted toward the center of the machine and is winnowed again and may then be spouted to any desired point. y

As has been stated, the riddles D and D have rocking or shaking movement, and after they have been moved rearward they are returned forward, mainly through the instrumentality of springs 62, attached to studs 63, secured to the bottom portion of the lower riddle D and to a cross-beam 64 at the forward lower portion of the frame, the tension of the' springs 62 being controlled by thumb-nuts 65 or the equivalents of the same.

With reference to the valves 32 at the outlets of the hoppers B, as stated, said valves regulate the suction at the upper portion of the upper riddle D. In all machines of which I have knowledge the grain falls in a solid stream, and when suiiicient suction is applied to draw ot the light material, such as chaff, dre., such material is accompanied by more or less wheat, whereby a loss is sustained, which loss is obviated by the use of the regulating-valves 32 and the separating-fingers 3l at the bottom portions of the hoppers.

More or less air may be admitted to the lower fans 19 by providing openings 66 in the sides of the body-frame, the said openings being controlled by doors 67, adj ustably mounted on the frame. The actuating mechanism for the riddles is practically the same at each side of the frame. A rocker-arm 68 is mounted at the central lower portion of each wing or front extension 28, and each rocker-arm 68 is adj ustably and pivotally connected bya rod 69 with an eccentric 70, mounted upon a shaft 71, carrying a pulley 72, and the pulleys 72 are connected by belts 73 with the pulleys 22a, heretofore mentioned. Each rocker-arm 68 carries two connecting-bars 74 and 75 at its upper end, and each lower connecting-bar 75 'is adjustably connected with one end of a centrally-pivoted lever 76, and the other end of each lever 76, through the medium of another connecting-rod 77, is attached to the lower side portions of the framing of the riddles, as shown at 78 in Fig. l.

Each upper connecting-ba1174, carried by a` rocker-arm 68, is adjustably attached to one end of a second and upper centrally-pivoted lever 79, the opposite end of each of which levers 79 is adjustably attached to a longer connecting-bar 80, the said bars 4being in their turn connected bya cross rod or plate 81, and each upper connecting-bar 80 is also attached to a spring 82, which springs are secured to the front portions of the body-frame of the machine, as shown in Fig. l. These springs 82 act in conjunction with the lower springs 62 to assi-st the riddles in moving to- `ward the front.

It is believed to loe a mechanical impossi- IIC bility to make a perfect separation of wheat and oats while large and small wheat is mixed with large and small oats, especially when the separation is attempted by passing the grain through one set of sieves in such mixed condition, which operation is usually carried out in most machines employed for separating wheat. When the two riddles or two series of sieves are employed, as shown in Fig. 3, a thorough separation of the grain is, however, obtained. When the grain has passed through the sieves of the upper riddle D and has been received upon the uppermost longer sieve d, which has perforations of suitable size to allow nothing but the large kernels of wheat and large oats to pass over, this material falls upon the lower sieve d in the lower riddle D', which has perforations of suitable size to separate the grain received thereon. All the grain that passes through the upper sieve at falls upon the lower sieve b, the mesh of which is such as to allow nothingbut the largest kernels to pass over and be delivered to the lower corresponding sieve b', the mesh of which is of the right size for that character of grain, and all of the grain' that passes through the sieve b is received upon the sieve c of the upper riddle D, the mesh of which sieve is of suitable size to cause the largest kernels delivered thereto to pass over and fall upon the lower corresponding sieve c' of the lower riddle D'. After the grain has been separated by the sieves of the lower riddle the cockles and waste material find their way into thereceptacles 58 and out through the chutes 58", while the good grain is delivered into the trough 59 and when falling from the said trough is Winnowed, as above stated.

Having thus described my invention, I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. Ina grain-separator, reciprocatingriddles having aback section provided with openings and forwardly and downwardly extending spurs adjacent to the openings, and a fan arranged to force currents of air through the said openings and upward through the riddles. f

2. In a grain-separator, the combination with a reciprocating riddle,a hopper discharging onto the riddle,and a fan for forcing a current of air up through the riddle, of a chamber in rear of the hopper and the upper end of a riddle and opening into the space between the outlet of the hopper and the riddle,

a valve for controlling said opening, an exhaust-fan, a flue leading from the exhaustfany to the chamber, and a flue leading from the said chamber and opening in front of the` discharge of the riddle, substantially as described.

3. In a grain-separator,'the combination with a reciprocating riddle, a hopper above the riddle and discharging thereon, separatin g-fingers below the outlet of the hopper, and a fan in rear of the riddle and forcing a current of air up through the riddle, of a cham; ber in rear of the hopper and the upper end of the riddle, and opening into the space between the riddle and the outlet of the hopper, an exhaust-fan, a iue leading from the exhaust-fan to the chamber, and a Hue leading in rear of the casing of the first fan and opening in front` of the discharge ofthe riddle, substantially as described.

4. In a grain-separator, a reciprocating riddle, a hopper discharging onto theriddrle, a chamber in rear of the hopper, and having a valved connection with the space above the riddle at the outlet of the hopper, an exhaust fan connected with the chamber, and a flue extending downwardly from the said chamber and terminating in front of the grain-discharge, substantially as described.

5. In a grain-separator, a reciprocating riddle, a hopper discharging onto the riddle, a fan for directing a current of air upward through the riddle, a chamber in rear of ythe hopper and having a valved connection with the space between the riddle andoutlet of the hopper, an exhaustfan connected with` the chamber, and a flue leading from-the said.

chamber, said fiue forming a casing for the first-named fan and extending downwardly with its end terminatingin front of the discharge of the riddle, substantially'` as described.

6. In a grain-separator, a reciprocating rida dle, a hopper discharging. onto the riddle, a chamber in rear of the hopper and communicating with the upper portion of the riddle, a fan discharging currents of air upward through the riddle, an exhaust-fan communicatingwith the chamber, and a flue leading lfrom the said chamber vto a point in front of the discharge of the riddle, said iiue forming a casing for the first-named fan, substantially as described. y

'7. In a grain-separator, a reciprocating riddle having the lower portion of its back section perforated, a fan-casing in rear of the perforated portion of the back sectionof the riddle, a fan in said casing, a chamber above the -fan-casing and communicating with the outer air, and a valve controlling communication between the chamber andv fan-casing, substantially as described.

8. In a grain-separatona reciprocating riddle, a hopper dischargingonto the riddle, a chamberl in rear of the hopper, and having a valved communication with the upper part of the riddle, an exhaust-fan connectedwith the chamber, a fan for directing currents of air upward. through the riddle, a Vchamber above the casing of the last-named fan, and a chute in the last-named chamber for conducting away the foreign material removed by the exhaust-fan,substantially as described.

9. In a grain-separator, a reciprocating riddle having the lower portion of its back section perforated, a fan-casing in rear ofthe said perforated portion of the back section,

ICO

IIO

a fan in said casing for directing currents of air upward through the riddle, a chamber above the fan-casing and having a valved communication therewith, said chamber communicating with the outer air, a hopper discharging onto the riddle, a chamber in rear of the hopper and having a valved connection with the upper portion of the riddle, and an exhaust fan communicating with the lastnamed chamber, substantially as described.

10. In a grain-separator, a riddle containing a plurality of screens, and having a back section, a portion of Which is provided with openings having iianges at their edges forming in- Wardly and. downwardly projecting spurs, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l1. In agrain-separator, a riddle containing a series of screens, the lowerinost screens being longer than the upper ones, and having a cover arranged over their elongated portions, and upon which cover the upper shorter screens discharge, substantially as described.

12. In a grain-separator, a riddle containing a series of screens, the lower-most ones of which project beyond the others, a cover for the elongated portions of said screens, and a Iarm, two centrally-pivoted levers, a connection between one end of cach lever and the rockerar1n, a connection between one end of one leverand the riddle-frame,'a spring having one end secured to the supporting-frame, and a connection between the free end of the spring and the end of the other lever, substantially as described. y

In testimony whereof I have signed my A name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

l ANTON LEIKEM. Witnesses:

WILLIAM WILCOX, WILLIAM GOLDFINGER. 

